Chef James Jens started in his mother’s kitchen and never looked back. Growing up he was continually pushing his knowledge boundaries through PBS cooking shows, 4-H projects, and childhood curiosity. Eventually Chef Jens would attend Fox Valley Technical College for Culinary Arts. After graduation he worked at The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin rotating through all of the restaurant kitchens. After stops at Caneel Bay Resort on St Johns in the US Virgin Islands, The Blue Star, and Ptarmigan Country Club in Colorado Springs and Windsor, Colorado respectively, he came home to Wisconsin.

After stints at Maple Bluff Country Club, The Opera House, Brasserie 9 East, Capital Chop House, he ventured into his own business of in-home catering until the chance of a lifetime came to be, with The Bank Restaurant & Wine Bar.

Balancing duties of both Executive Chef and of General Manager, he is dedicated to procuring a great, fair, and educational working experience for all employed at the restaurant. This in-turn leads to a fuller more well-rounded experience for the guest. “Knowledge is the key to excellence, empowerment is the key to knowledge,” — by empowering the staff to learn and share experiences within a guided kitchen, all become closer to excellence.

Chef Jens takes pride in working with local farms in creating the weekly menus, and insight into their foundations of food. Combining the love for the land and the knowledge learned over the years creates the overall experience.

The Bank’s weekly menu format is one that Chef Jens is very fond of; blending an element of consistency with a new and exciting preparation twist each week. Along with the staff selections, our weekly offering will always include tenderloin of beef, wild game, poultry, vegetarian, pasta, rice, seafood, both shell and fish.

Chef Jens along with Jessica and Aspen (wife and daughter, respectively) reside on a twenty-acre hobby farm west of Mazomanie with their slew of critters.